First Brew Ever - with pics

[planenut]

First Brew Ever 09-06-08
Northern Brewers - Extra Pale Ale
Directions called for a partial boil but I modified slightly to do a Full boil.
I steeped the specialty grains in 2.5 gallons as I was unsure what it would do in 6.0 gallons.
I reduced the 2 oz of Cascade hops to 1.5 oz with the TLAR (that looks about right) method. They were it 2 seperate 1 oz packs so I just split one in half.
Otherwise standard directions..
Extra Pale Ale Extract Kit -- Kit Inventory Sheet

3:00 pm
Cleaning and Prep

4:26 pm
Heating 2.5 Gallons of RO water for Specialty Grains

4:35 PM
Adding 1 lb of Dingemans Caramel Pils Specialty Grains
As Murphy's Law would have it, my first temp probe failed...
I got kind of Lucky
I heated the water and checked the temp with a digital probe like you would use for a pork tenderloin. As soon as I placed it in the pot it said 152 degrees. After about 7 minutes, I began to question its accuracy. I used an Instant read and it said 120 degrees. I was up to about 14 minutes before the temp rose to 150 degrees. I kept it at 150 - 158 for the next 16 minutes. 30 minutes total steeping

5:10 pm
I add the 2.5 with the steeped grain to the 3.5 gallons outside in the turkey fryer and begin heating to a boil

5:20 pm
Remove from heat and add 6 lbs Gold Malt Syrup

5:25 pm
Return to boil after added LME

Next page..

 

[planenut]

5:38 pm
Hot Break almost finished..

5:45 pm
Removed from heat again
And added 1.5 oz of Cascade hops in a muslim bag.

5:48 pm
Returned to Boil and started 60 minute clock
Notice the improper planning.. I knew I didn't have a spoon long enough but was too impatient to wait so I sanitized some vice grips as an extension.

5:50 pm
Hydrate Yeast - 1 pack of safale US05 in 1 cup of previously boiled water cooled to 100 degrees F.

6:20 pm
Added 1 tsp of wort to first batch of Yeast. (cooled)

6:47 pm
Hydrate 2nd batch of yeast
as I had no confidence in the first..

6:48 pm
Added the final 1 oz of Cascade hops

6:50 pm
Ice bath

7:00 pm
Added 1 tsp of simple syrup to yeast - (cooled)
(1 cup of sugar in 2 cups of boiling water)


Next Page

 

[planenut]

View of both Yeast samples..
The 2nd batch is on the left and shows more activity.

7:13 pm
Wort is 80 degrees

7:20 pm
Wort is 74 degrees

7:38 pm
4.5 gallons is all that is left from the original 6 gallons. I add .5 gallons of Boiled and cooled RO water.

8:00 pm
Testing
1.047 at 70 degrees should yeald 1.048

Drank Wort, Sweet and yummy!
Sweeter than the Sweetwater IPA I was having as I finished my work.
I have learned what Cascade Hops smell and taste like..

Cleanup!
Thanks for looking

 

[planenut]

Activity was a little slow at first...

8:26 am 12 hours in fermenter
A little activity if you watch the air bubble

2:11 pm 18 hours in fermenter
Activity is really picking up

8:34 pm 24 hours in fermenter
Much better


8:34 pm 24 hours
If the video works, you can really see activity below the foam. I wasn't expecting to see particles rolling around like water boiling...

MVI_1284.flv - Video - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

 

[eschatz]

nice action! looks like your beer is going to be great!

all of those sideways pics make my neck hurt!

 

[planenut]

all of those sideways pics make my neck hurt!

Sorry about that..
I've been quite busy and was anxiuous to get the pics posted. Hindsight.. I can see some steps I did but didn't post in the thread..

 

[Badger39]

Pretty damn good job! Look like a seasoned vet, minus the vice of course. jk. Nice pics as well.

 

[pcrawford]

looks like your a bit OCD. You'll probably make some good beer.

 

[planenut]

looks like your a bit OCD. You'll probably make some good beer.

Never diagnosed but..
I have been accused!

 

[BigKahuna]

Way to drink the sample!

Looks pretty great to me!

 

[Edcculus]

Congrats on the first brew. Go Tigers!!!

 

[fat x nub]

That is probably the best 1st batch i have ever seen been done. Very good job

Congrats on the first brew. Go Tigers!!!

ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL TIDE!!!!

 

[planenut]

That is probably the best 1st batch i have ever seen been done. Very good job

Thanks,

I've been reading the forum (great advice and members) and "howtobrew.com" quite a bit the last few weeks and tried to get everything organized and prepared.. After all, I've got to wait around 6 weeks to drink it.

 

[FishinDave07]

That is probably the best 1st batch i have ever seen been done. Very good job QUOTE]

+1, I wish my first batch went as well as yours did. Still good beer in the end though.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

I've been reading the forum (great advice and members) and "howtobrew.com" quite a bit the last few weeks and tried to get everything organized and prepared..

I just want to add, congratulations on what looks like a fantastic first brew, it's all down hill from here.
Keep the OCD up with sanitization during bottling and I'm sure your have some great beer there. Your a good example that perfect planning produces perfect products. My first beer was pis$ poor planning produces...... I caught a minor case of OCD after that.

 

[NateKerx]

keep documenting your brews like this and you'll make some damn fine beer, congrats!

 

[Homercidal]

People who plan their brews annoy me...


j/k. This is def something I need to do better. Also better documentation. And more practice.